Tomorrow's the final day of Summer 2015. How do you feel about it? (I promise it'll be back in 6 months). Technically summer fades to autumn in the wee small hours of Wednesday morning, September 23, at exactly 1:21 AM.

Were you able to churn summer life into lovely and positive picnic parts? I've loved all the emails, pictures, videos, and poignant thoughts about the power and simplicity of a picnic. I'm also aware some of you are stressed, at major crossroads, and working through significant life events. I send you love and I'm grateful for your presence here at Viral Mindfulness Monday. Know that I mediate in my own practice on your behalf. I'm devoted, and take great stewardship in you, my Monday Tribe! My next gift is coming, an Autumn of Viral Mindfulness vivid in color, idea, creativity, compassion, and art.

For today, I'd like to summarize the key points of the Summer Picnic challenge and extend the watercolor giveaway into the first 5 days of Autumn. In honor of Brené's featured quote. Simply enough my friends, this means you'll have until Sunday, September 27th to enter the watercolor giveaway. Get your entires in.

Enjoy the Series Two Premier of Viral Mindfulness Monday: Life's A Circus, Let's Play!The invitation's extended to pay attention to your life. Cultivate the wisdom to listen and observe yourself. And you ..... in your life. It's easier than ever (right at your finger tips), to get wrapped up and distracted in other people's lives. And often, before you realize it, you're eating a double-double comparison burger, I'm-never-going-to be-good-enough-animal-style. This particular order is heavy on the stomach and soul.

Lay It All Down & Picnic introduces Mr. Picnic.When Mr. Picnic and I said goodbye after 48 hours together, he thanked me for pulling him out of his world. For being kind and present. For touching him and being mindful and direct with my words & in my communication. I sketched and listened and watched him sleep. He told me stories from his life as I watched birds making lazy circles in the sky. We kissed, we laughed, and swam, and enjoyed the sweet flavor and texture of oranges, grapefruit, kettle corn & summer picnics. I'm excited to share the details with you of our intimate conversation under the deep blue summer sky. (He too is HIV-positive, and told me his interesting story).

Alexander TV, Episode 202Throw A GoPro Picnic ..... Bobble-Head StyleMy nephew Zane submitted video to enter the challenge. It just happened to be of me! You're gonna laugh non-stop at this GoPro footage of hilarious picnic fun. (It might be the funniest footage I've seen of myself). It's not bobble-head ..... it's more like an Alexander bobble-body. Get all the details for the challenge in this episode.

What do to do when the picnic's over? Summer comes to an end? Perhaps you're consumed with, The Not So Picnic Parts of Life.Liz Gilbert offers some life-saving advice in this profound episode.

I want to share a slogan I’ve been chewing on all week. It comes from the fantastic Brené Brown in her new book, Rising Strong:

“The opposite of scarcity is not abundance; the opposite of scarcity is simply enough.”

Initially I applied this to money and salary. How much income, profit or salary is enough? When do I cut myself off from a natural propensity (even addiction) towards achieving more? Getting more and having more runs rampant in our culture.

I've deliberately decided to extend my pose of gratitude by defining enough. For me. I sat down and looked at my salary, expenses, budgets, debt, goals, projects, dreams, plans, vision and bucket list. I then asked myself, Do I have enough? And my answer was clear:

Not yet, but I'm closer than I thought, and can drop much stress today, by focusing on two words ..... simply enough.

With Brene’s slogan I was able to reduce an immediate level of anxiety about my current case load of projects and clients. I found a clear plan of action to complete the current projects, and then focus on new opportunities in the month of October, with clients that support my prices & current level of experience, expertise, and offering.

This was empowering and helpful.

Then I decided to take it to another topic. A really vulnerable one: status single (I'm daring greatly here Brené).

If I’m single and define it as scarcity, then being in a relationship is abundance. Even dating someone regularly is abundant.

How does the simply enough solution work for this equation?

Here was my train of thought.

I’m simply enough right where I am. Do I have a boyfriend? No. Do I have friends and family? Sooooo many and they're awesome! Do I date? I'm totally putting myself out there and having a great time. In fact Mr. Picnic and I had an unbelievable time together, yet he never called me back ..... (and then I had the self revelation that I'm actually Mr. Picnic).

Am I broken, damaged or “not enough” because I’m not in a relationship, or raising children? Am I marked and tainted because of my past history with foolish coping strategies (including drugs)? Am I dirty and undesirable with HIV?

Simply enough. Simply enough. Simply enough.

I recognized and touched the grief, sadness, and loss, at it's root, and knew it was time for this root to die.

What if I spent the rest of my life "single", would that be simply enough?

Yes. Yes. Yes. Especially on this current path of creativity that I absolutely love! It makes me feel alive and connected to my spirituality ..... even my higher power. She's quite magnificent.

Your mindfulness challenge this week is to wrestle with Brené Brown's awesome slogan. Every time you bump into yourself with a negative thought, whisper: simply enough, simply enough, I am simply enough. If you suddenly fly off the handle with anger, rage or resentment ...... gently repeat, simply enough, simply enough, she's simply enough.

If you get her book—you're absolutely going to be blown away. Who would've thought she could've outdone Daring Greatly.